


Rumor Has It

by thelotusflower



Category: South Park
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Attempt at Humor, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Miscommunication, SO MUCH BANTER, cries in cryle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelotusflower/pseuds/thelotusflower
Summary: After Tweek and Craig break up, and fail to get back together on their own, Cartman takes it upon himself (and Cupid Me) to get them back together. However, once Kyle finds out about Cartman’s plans, he puts a stop to it; believing that he should not meddle in their relationship.After Kyle ruins his plans, Cartman gets back at him by telling the whole school that he has a crush on Craig.
Relationships: (past), Craig Tucker/Tweek Tweak, Kyle Broflovski/Craig Tucker
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64





	Rumor Has It

**Author's Note:**

> this is one of those times where I'm like this was a good plot I came up with!!! but I'm not sure how well executed it is. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO hope it's okay. Idkidkidk
> 
> The title comes from adeles rumor has it, which has nothing at all to do with this fic, but... I'm bad w titles

1

Kyle waits at the bus stop with Kenny, listening to the explicit and unnecessary details of Kenny’s weekend which consisted of going to Bebe’s house and receiving the “ _best blow job of all time.”_ He is almost _relieved_ when Cartman walks up to them — keyword, _almost._

When the fatass starts talking, he instantly misses Kenny’s detailed account of his blow job.

He misses _Stan —_ it’s been nearly seven years since he moved to that damn farm, but he still yearns for the days that Stan accompanied them at the bus stop. Now he drives himself to school with the car Randy bought him for his sixteenth birthday — _Tegridy Farms_ painted over the exterior. Every plus of Stan’s life has to be followed by an immediate negative.

“So, I’ve been thinking about Tweek and Craig,” Cartman says. Kyle glares at him — he is not sure _why_ Cartman is so invested in their relationship, but he always has been. He is always one of the firsts to know if they are taking a break, and who dumped who in their endless cycle of breakups. Maybe at first, Kyle was interested in the drama of it all, but the couple is so on and off that it quickly became incredibly exhausting and boring to keep up with. “It’s been two weeks — and they still are not back together.”

“Really?” Kenny asks. “I wonder if I can score with one of em’.”

“Kenny, you stupid fucking slut,” Cartman barks out. “Stay away from me’. You’ll ruin my plans.”

“What _plans?”_ Kyle dips his chin down, eyes narrowing on his friend.

“Oh, you know, just _talking_ to each one of them about their _feelings_ and why they broke up,” he says. He flashes him an _innocent_ smile alongside the honey-dipped words. Kyle does not buy any of it. “I want to be there for my friends.”

“Anytime I’ve been dumped, you’ve been anything but considerate,”

“Kahl, if you want to find someone and _keep them_ , you have to stop being a Jew. It’s as simple as that.”

Kenny laughs, and Kyle’s glare deepens.

“Oh yeah, Cartman? Then why don’t _you_ have a girlfriend? What’s your excuse, fat-chode?”

Kenny giggles again, holding onto his stomach and nearly bending over with laughter.

“Fuck you, Kahl,” Cartman crosses his arms over his chest, glancing away. “I get plenty of girls… It’s actually fucking _exhausting_ to keep up with all the sex _._ ”

This only makes Kenny bellow harder. He cups a hand onto Cartman’s shoulder, bending over with laughter. “Yeah, you’re a real fucking ladies’ man. Bebe said you cried when Heidi wouldn’t let you get to second base.”

“Fuck Bebe!” Cartman exclaims, shrugging Kenny off with a scowl. “She’s a fucking slut.”

“What’s wrong with being a slut?” Kenny smirks, swatting Cartman’s shoulder with a wink.

“Ew, ew, ew! Don’t — fucking say this gay shit to me, you gay-wad. I’m not fucking gay.”

  
Kyle rolls his eyes and turns his head away from the scene with a sigh. The bus arrives and the bus-stop conversation recedes to the back of his mind. When he gets to school, Stan recounts his weekend on the farm, and Kenny begins to retell the details of Bebe’s blow job. Kyle — unwilling to hear the story a second time — walks to his first period.

He settles into his seat and brings out his economics textbook and notebook. The bell rings and the morning announcements, along with the pledge of allegiance, begins to play over the intercom.

Shortly after, and amid pledge of allegiance, Craig strolls in — late as always. As the tall and lanky student drops his tardy slip onto the teacher’s desk — receiving a _glare_ from her (probably because they are mid-pledge allegiance) — the bus-stop conversation resurfaces.

With long legs, Craig makes his way to his desk which happens to be the desk right in front of Kyle. Kyle cannot help but be amused by the male’s lack of respect toward the pledge of allegiance as he slings his backpack off his shoulder and places it onto the floor with a loud _thud_. With a small sigh, Craig places his hand over his chest for the last few seconds of the pledge.

Within a few seconds, it’s over and they all sink back down into their desks.

He thinks of Craig’s behavior within the last two weeks, thinking of what Cartman said again. Kyle really has exerted him from caring about their relationship — in fact, he never really cared much at all. He likes Craig and Tweek, but honestly, even at the beginning, the whole thing was strange to him. He wasn’t sure if either of them were even gay. Kyle was the one to find out that, contrary to what their dumb parents told them, Asian girls couldn’t make you _gay._

For a long time, Kyle thought that maybe Craig and Tweek _believed_ that Asian girls could make them gay, but the more he thought about _that_ theory, the more he thought _against_ it. Craig has never been the type to believe that kind of shit. He has always been one of the most logical, sensible people he knows.

So, after a while, Kyle just accepted that they liked each other, for real, which was at first, _cute_ — but they slowly just became a gay version of Wendy and Stan — breaking up every other week, just to get back together a few days later. Like with Wendy and Stan, Kyle doesn’t get it.

_Eventually,_ last year, Stan and Wendy finally broke up for good — it’s been almost a year now since their last reunion, and Stan finally seems completely over her — he seems a _lot_ happier too. Kyle cannot imagine the stress that comes with constantly breaking and getting back together with your significant other.

  
Maybe it’s why he feels an obligation to protect Craig — and Tweek — from Cartman’s schemes. Kyle is pretty sure Craig — and Tweek — are better off without one another.

As always, the class starts with a _prep question,_ and as _always_ — because they are allowed to work in groups on these prep questions — Craig turns around to work with him.

Kyle can’t help himself from poking fun at his tardiness and his complete lack of respect for the pledge. “Sometimes I think you just arrive late just to piss her off,” Kyle says as he eyes the problem on the board and writes it out on his notebook page — it’s always easier for him to work with the problem right in front of him. “But then I remember how _lazy_ you are, and realize that would take a small amount of effort.”

“It would also require to me care the least bit about what she thinks, and I don’t.”

Kyle snorts, “Clearly. Hasn’t she told you a dozen times now — both indirectly and to your face — that if you come into class late, you should either wait until the pledge is over to come in, or stand by the door and immediately join in?”

“Since when do you care about the pledge? Didn’t you have a whole _thing_ last year about how we should take on the _under god_ part?”

They both keep their eyes on the problem, working together but _separate_ to figure the curves of supply and demand on their graphs. They usually will work on their own and then compare answers. Usually, they have the same conclusion, but occasionally Kyle will have the correct one; revealed by the teacher a few minutes after their debate. Kyle always snickers behind him as the teacher reveals he was right and Craig always sends him a flip of the bird in response.

“Yes, I did, and I still _stand by that_! This is a _public_ school — why are we including religious elements into our daily rhetoric? The church and state should be separated and this doesn’t —,”

“I remember the speeches,” Craig holds his hand up, eyes still on his own notebook and pencil scribbling against looseleaf. “I also don’t seem to be the only deviant here… I notice that you don’t say _under god…_ you know when I am here for that part,” he notices a small trace of a smirk on Craig’s lips.

He realizes that instead of staring at his problem, he is staring at Craig. He looks back to his notebook. He doesn’t know why Craig noticing him _not_ saying the _under god_ part feels weird… _nice_ to him, but it does. “I say it as an act of defiance. You come in late as an act of laziness. Also, I think you just enjoy pissing Mrs. Wilson off.”

“It’s the little things, like pissing people off, that helps me get through the day.”

“You’re such an asshole,” Kyle puffs out a laugh.

Craig hums at this and then sets his notebook on the top of Kyle’s desk. “I finished before you,” he changes the subject. Kyle flicks his eyes up, meeting dark and smug glinted eyes.

“Yeah, well, I doubt it’s _right_. _”_

Craig flips him off and Kyle’s lips curve into a little smirk as he points his focus back onto the graphs he is working on. They continue to mindlessly chat and banter as Kyle finishes the problem. When they are done, they compare answers. They have the same ones, and Kyle is a little disappointed. It’s not like he has a competition with him or anything, but the smug expression on Craig’s face pisses him off.

“Guess if I got it wrong, so did you.”

“Shut up.”

“Maybe I’m getting better at this stuff than you,” a stupid smirk blossoms on Craig’s face as he sets his elbow on Kyle’s desk, chin resting on his palm. “That, or we _both_ got it wrong, which would be equally as funny considering how much you hate being wrong.”

“I don’t _hate_ being wrong,” Kyle glares at the male with slitted eyes.

“And I’m not _gay,”_ Craig drops his hand and pulls his notebook off Kyle’s desk to place back on his own. Kyle stares at the back of his head and waits to see if Craig will turn around again to continue to engage in conversation. He doesn’t.

Kyle ponders if it’s _weird_ he’s never said anything in regards to his breakups with Tweek. They are _friends._ They talk every class — eat lunch together sometimes (with their respected groups of friends), and occasionally see one another outside of school (also with their respected groups of friends).

Suddenly, he feels somewhat _guilty_ he has never said anything, especially maybe _this_ time since it seems possibly legit.

He finds himself talking before he can stop himself.

“Craig,”

“What,” he doesn’t even turn around.

Kyle rolls his eyes and huffs. “Can you fucking turn around so I can properly speak to you like a normal human being?” he says.

Craig turns around, a bored expression painted across his features. _“What?”_ he asks again.

Kyle sucks in a breath. Maybe this is a bad decision. Craig is not someone he has ever _once_ had an emotional conversation with. The most emotional conversation they’ve ever shared was probably the one concerning Willzyx, a killer whale at the Denver amusement park. They both thought the same talking to them, but it was just some fuckers messing with them.

“Are you doing okay?”

Craig’s brows move inward.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Um,” Kyle fumbles, eyes falling to his notebook. He brushes some eraser shavings off his paper. “I don’t know, um… You and Tweek, I guess.”

This is a terrible idea, and he entirely blames Cartman.

There is a pause. Kyle is suddenly very aware of how loud the classroom is getting. Their teacher will probably soon begin the lecture, gathering from the loud noise of conversation that everyone has finished the prep questions.

“Looking for gossip?”  
  


“What?” Kyle snaps his eyes up to the dark orbs in front of him. Craig looks suspicious of him, which may be, in retrospect is _understandable._ The whole school has been gossiping about the couple for almost their whole lives, but Kyle has never been _too_ intrigued by gossip… unlike _Craig._ So, honestly? Why is _he_ getting accused of gossip? “I’m not _you._ I’m just wondering how you’re doing.”

Craig squints his eyes but does nothing else in reaction. “You’re a little late on asking. We broke up two weeks ago.”

Kyle grips the edge of his desk in annoyance. He is simply just trying to ask this asshole how he is. Why does he have to make it so goddamn difficult? He grinds his teeth. “You two usually get back together. I just assumed that’d happen again.”

As soon as he says it, he realizes it was the wrong thing to have said because Craig just clicks his fallen eyes to him again in a menacing, hard glare. Craig doesn’t need to say _fuck off_ for it to be heard. He’s nearly _mastered_ the bitch glare. After a couple of mournful seconds of the bitch glare, Craig turns away.

When Kyle is looking once again at the back of his dark head of hair, he lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding; his heartbeat strangely present in his eardrums. Perhaps he was too harsh… too _judgmental_ in his tone. It’s just hard to understand why anyone would want to be in a relationship like that — fall into it _so_ many times when it is obviously just going to fail.

And Craig.

It’s not like he is _used_ to talking to him like he is an actual human being with feelings and emotions. Most of the time, Craig pretends he doesn’t have them. Kyle has witnessed a few soft spots, even received mostly service-based support on some rare occasions, and he has seen the way Craig has been with Tweek. He is capable of showing emotion; expressing it; _feeling_ it. He has seen Craig be the same with Clyde on occasion, there for him when he really needed it, defending him in his absence, and quick to have his back. Craig is much softer than he portrays to the world, _but_ still, Kyle felt unsure how to access _that_ Craig. He only comes out when he wants to, and right now, he really, really seems he doesn’t want to.

As predicted, their teacher brings the class to order after another thirty seconds; before Kyle brings himself to say something else to Craig to better the situation. She works out the equations on the board, revealing they drew all their graphs out correctly.

Kyle knows that if Craig was _not_ annoyed with him, he would probably whisper some stupid remark to him. It’s strange to Kyle that he actually feels _bad_ that he misses the stupid remark. He doesn’t know why he feels so bad about it at all. Craig is an asshole; always has been; always will be — hates everyone and everything. Offending him is not out of the ordinary… yet Kyle’s _guilt_ is.

And it plagues him for the rest of the class, to the point where he decides will just _apologize._

When the bell rings and their teacher releases them, Kyle hurriedly gathers his belongings into his backpack and jumps to the front of Craig’s desk. He is still mid-putting his book away. He meets his eyes with slight irritation.

“I’m sorry if that came off as … _harsh,_ I didn’t mean it in that way. I just — you were being an asshole, and I think I wanted to be an asshole back, but… It was too much.”

Craig slides the book into his backpack with a _slump_ and stands up, keeping his silted gaze on him. As he stands up, Kyle’s gaze trails upward. “I mean, it’s fine… and well, you definitely accomplished being an asshole back.”

Kyle releases a grin. It feels like a huge weight off his shoulders that Craig is not mad at him. With a turn of his heel, the taller boy looks away and walks forward. Kyle follows close behind him, “and to answer your question… I guess I just hadn’t _thought_ of asking until today?”

“That’s nice.”

If Kyle _is_ honest, he really _did_ assume the two would just get back together.

Kyle pushes a hand under his hat and into his curls, feeling fed up with all the deflection he is receiving. He is just trying to be fucking _nice._

“You make it so hard to be nice,” he drops his hand from his hair with a huff.

“Are you trying to be _nice_ right now?” Craig asks. “Is that what this is?”

“Shut up,” Kyle rolls his eyes.

Kyle stops when they come into proximity of his next class. Craig stops alongside him, eyeing him with an amused expression, although he doesn’t _say_ anything. Kyle furrows his brows, “ _what?”_

“You told me to shut up,” Craig shrugs a shoulder, smirking openly now.

Kyle scowls and shakes his head. He pushes him in the shoulder, making him swing back a little — smirk still secure on his face, however. He should have seen that coming. How did he fall so easily into that?

“Remind me to _never_ care about your emotional well-being ever again.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.”

Craig still holds his dumb smirk, although now Kyle would call it a _half-_ smirk.

In his typical Craig Tucker fashion, he holds up a middle finger and trods away. Kyle only watches a moment before turning inside his classroom. It is only at this moment that he really _wonders_ if this will be the last of Tweek and Craig.

He hopes so.

For Tweek and Craig’s sake.

2

When a few days pass and nothing happens between Tweek and Craig, Kyle _stupidly_ assumes that maybe Cartman has moved on. Cartman often has no followed through with his plans, and Kyle assumes he found entertainment somewhere else; maybe realized that the two people _inside_ the relationship should choose how it goes.

_Nope._

Cartman was just busy coming up with a plan.

When he arrives at the bus stop that Friday morning, his suspicion rises. Cartman appears to be in a _weird_ and almost _manic_ mood, _excited_ for school which he _never_ is. On the bus, he even asks Kenny, what’s going on with him, and Kenny shrugs, apparently having noticed it too. “Maybe he finally got something other than his cat’s tongue to touch his ding-a-long,” Kenny says.

Kyle responds with disgust and mild laughter; the conversation furthering into a roast of Eric. He doesn’t even bother to _defend_ himself either, even though he sits right in front of the two, with Butters next to him. He can definitely hear all they are saying.

But he is too invested in his whispers with Butters — too _giddy_ to even care. It only makes Kyle more suspicious.

When they arrive at school, he gets his answer. Everyone is whispering about Tweek and Craig – apparently having witnessed some heated argument between the two. When they hear this word of mouth from Stan, Cartman seems utterly and completely devastated.

“I _missed_ it? _Fucking dammit,”_ he pinches the bridge of his nose. “I was really counting on Craig being late… when is he ever here on time?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Kyle turns to his friend who still holds the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, a strained expression on his face.

“Aw, shit, I blame the bus driver! She was going so damn slow today!” Butters buffs.

“I mean, there was a ton of snow on the roads…” Stan offers.

Kyle ignores them both, glaring at Cartman.

“What the hell did you guys do?”

“Nothing!” Cartman throws his hands up in defense. “Why would I ever do anything? I just had a nice, long chat with each of them yesterday about their relationship, and it seemed they wanted to get back together.”

Kyle’s eyebrows fall as his eyes narrow. “That’s _such_ bull shit. There is no fucking way.”

“Dude, who cares,” Stan cuts in. “They will probably be back together in like a week anyways. Clyde is taking bets on it.”

“That’s so fucked up!” Kyle clenches his fists at his side, turning to his friend. Stan raises his eyebrows and smacks his lips together.

“Yeah, um, yeah, _totally._ ”

“You placed a bet, didn’t you?”

Stan turns red and rubs the back of his neck. “I may have… But only like five dollars. I know gambling is dumb.”

“That’s literally not the point, at all!”

“You know what? Stan, can you place me on that bet? I’m giving it three more days,” Kenny suddenly intervenes, handing Stan a five-dollar bill. Kyle sends daggers to the blonde.

Kenny only laughs in response.

“It’s easy money!” Kenny defends, holding up a hand in defense as Stan takes the bill and Kenny slinks away.

Kyle rubs his eyebrow and shakes his head. “I’m going to get to class. Please. Just… _Ugh,”_ he throws his hands up in defeat. He hears Stan and Kenny snickering behind him as he leaves, encouraging him to quicken his pace.

In an unexpected turn of events – but also a confirmation that Craig did in fact _come early to school today –_ Craig is already seated at his desk. He stares straight ahead with a flat-line across his lips. Although this is his normal expression, something about him seems stiffer today than usual; his eyes seem sharp and focused, instead of bored.

Kyle takes his seat behind him, bringing his backpack down to the floor as he does so. He begins to pull his supplies from his bag, and eyes Craig as he does so. He wonders if he should _say_ something. He has no idea what Cartman did, but he knows that their argument this morning _had_ to be because of him. He sort-of-almost feels _responsible_ with association.

He decides to just start with, “it’s weird to see you here so early.”

Craig turns around at this, resting an arm on Kyle’s desk as he does so. His eyes focus on the supplies that Kyle pulls from his backpack.

“I come early sometimes.”

“You’re never here before I am though.”

“You’re awfully observant of me,” Craig flickers his eyes to meet Kyle’s own.

Kyle sets his notebook on his desk. He needs to zip up his backpack, but he instead keeps his gaze on Craig. “It’s kind of hard not to be when your big head is constantly blocking my view.”

“Maybe try not being so short?”

“I’m 5’9. That’s lit the average height for a male.”

Craig shrugs as if this information is completely pointless to him.

Kyle sighs and leans over to zip his backpack. When he leans back up, Craig is still turned, facing him. “Can you ever just answer a goddamn question?” Kyle asks.

“I would, but I know you’re only asking because you know Tweek and I got into a fight this morning, and you’re probably wondering what happened.”

Kyle feels his face heat up. It’s not necessarily true but at the same time, he supposes it _is._ “You’re so paranoid, dude. Not everyone cares about your romance life.”

“Yeah?” Craig raised an eyebrow. “I _wish_ you were right, Broflovski.”

Kyle releases a breath.

“Even so, I’m sure you heard about it this morning.”

“I did.”

“So, there’s your answer. I was talking to Tweek. Are you happy?”

Kyle’s face twists. “I’m – no, not really?” He squints.

“Great. Now stop asking me about -,”

Before he can say much else, the bell interrupts, and the pledge and morning announcements immediately follow. He watches Craig’s bored expression as they say the pledge, barely mumbling the words from his mouth. When the intercom goes on standby, they immediately get to work on their prep questions — Craig turning around as he always does.

  
It’s quiet between them until Kyle says, “what were you guys fighting about?”

Craig scoffs. “Something _stupid,_ and not worth mentioning.”

Kyle flicks his eyes up to stare at the boy in front of him. He is focused on the problem on his notebook page, completely unaware of Kyle. The redhead taps his eraser against his notebook, biting his lip. “What _prompted_ it?”

Craig lifts his gaze to meet him. He looks _tired._ He sighs, “Nothing. I don’t know —,” he scrunches his nose up, eyeing his notebook. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over now.”

Kyle seethes. If Craig would just _tell_ him about what caused the fight, maybe he could help. He was so sure that Cartman started this, but he wasn’t about to just go around pointing fingers when he had almost _zero_ evidence.

“I’m sure if you ask around a little you could get, like, a detailed transcript of it,” Craig mumbles. “Tweek has a habit of making all our fights very _public._ He has like _zero_ impulse control and just blows up before we can even make it to privacy.”

Kyle shifts his eyes to the problem, fixated on it. “Look, contrary to what you seem to believe, I’m only asking because, like, you’re my friend, and — I don’t know, I’m not trying to … _gossip.”_

Craig lifts his head and meets his gaze. “It’s _really_ hard for me to believe that you won’t tell your little co-dependent group everything I say.”

“If you want to tell me something, then — I won’t. I’m capable of keeping my mouth shut.”

“You never stop talking.”

Kyle rolls his eyes, “Well, I can talk about _other_ stuff to them, then.”

Craig actually quips up a half-smile at this. He puffs out his cheeks, eyes falling to his notebook that rests on top of Kyle’s desk. He begins to outline the graph again, “Well, thanks I guess… But I rather, really not talk about it… It’s just…,” he inhales. He shakes his head. “I just — I’m begging you to talk to me about anything else.”

Kyle sees it now; the sunken sadness inside him; the _exhaustion_. It only makes him feel worse about the situation — with whatever the fuck Cartman is doing — and _Clyde._ He clenches his jaw. Maybe he will do something about _that._ The boy is obviously hurting, and people should not be profiting from his pain.

He turns his attention to the prep questions instead. He finishes before Craig, but they get the same answer. Before they can get too involved with a new subject, their teacher takes control of the class.

When class is over, they stroll out together like normal, chatting about the upcoming test next week, but the conversation from earlier this morning feels as though it hangs between them. Maybe because Kyle is still thinking it over, or wondering what Cartman is up to.

As he goes through his next couple of classes, he hears various conversations revolving around Tweek and Craig, and what happened this morning. He is still unsure what the argument was even about though. Something about poor communication, stubbornness, and an apology. Kyle still feels unsure about it; how it started.

When lunch rolls around, he takes a seat across from Stan and Clyde. They are already in discussion about Tweek and Craig.

Kyle stares listlessly at them, setting his lunch tray down. “You guys ever get sick of investigating other peoples’ lives?”

“I’m just worried about Craig,” Clyde says.

“Really? Is that why you are making _bets_ on when he and Tweek will get back together?”

“Shit, dude, you told him about that?”

In response, Stan groans and covers his face with one of his hands.

  
Kyle just sets his glare on Clyde.

“Craig wouldn’t care,” Clyde says.

“Really? So does he _know?_ Is it okay if I tell —,”

“No, no, Kyle, you can’t. He’ll _kill_ me,” Clyde whines, grabbing the redhead’s hands. “Please don’t.”

Kyle rolls his eyes. “I won’t if you cut it out.”

“Why do you care so much anyway?” Stan asks.

“Because it’s the right thing to do! They’re our friends. How would you feel if people had made bets about you and Wendy?”

Stan becomes smaller as he casts his gaze down. “Probably _shitty._ ”

“Exactly. The whole school is already in their business, we don’t need to exploit them as well.”

Just as he says the words, Craig comes up to their table, sinking in the open spot next to Kyle. The conversation between them dies quickly; resulting in a heavy awkward silence. Craig shifts his listless gaze between the trio, before releasing a sigh from his downturned lips. “You guys are so fucking obvious.”

“Craig, my man, my buddy, my pal!” Clyde grins. “I haven’t seen you all day, due to you being in all the smart people classes. I missed ya.”

“It’s like this _every_ day.”

“And every day, it’s the same feeling of longing.”

Craig scoffs out a laugh and opens his lunch box. Eventually Token and Kenny join them at the lunch table, and the conversation swings into normalcy. Kyle hopes that Clyde _does_ stop with the bets. If he doesn’t, he is sure he will be able to get the truth through Stan who is the worst liar he knows.

His mind still is stuck on Cartman though; especially at the end of the day when he spots Cartman’s conversation with Tweek by his locker. Poor Tweek looks agitated and anxious talking to the fatass. Kyle scoops in to save him.

“Hey, Tweek — mind if I steal Cartman away?” he grips the elbow of the fatass who scowls.

  
“Kyle, you’re so _rude,_ Tweek and I are having a very serious —,”

“Please do,” Tweek huffs, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and trotting away.

“Fucking Kyle — I was in the middle of something, God Dammit!” he moves away from his grip, glaring at the taller male.

“You mean terrorizing and harassing poor Tweek? Why can’t you just leave them alone? How does their relationship affect you?”

“I am just trying to _help_ my friends, Kyle. That’s what you _do_ when you’re a good friend. You wouldn’t know.”

Kyle inhales sharply. “You’re not being _helpful._ Whatever you’re trying to do — _stop._ If they are going to be together, then they’ll figure it out on their own.”

“They’re _gay,_ Kyle. They _won’t._ ”

Kyle shifts his eyebrows together. He gave up a long time ago on ever figuring out the logic behind Cartman’s bigotry comments. He lets out a breath and closes his eyes, “Cartman. _Please._ Just be a good person, for once.”

Unable to take any more of his friend, he turns on his heel and walks away.

“I’m a good person all the time! What do you mean?”

He shakes his head. He _really,_ really hopes that is a joke, even though he _knows_ it is not.

3

They are at the Village Inn when it happens.

Butters is grinning at his phone with lit up features. Then Kenny says _holy shit_ upon pulling put his phone. Stan’s phone dings next, and it’s at this point where Kyle demands to know what’s going on.

Kyle leans over his best friend’s shoulder to read the received text, Stan frowning as he lets him look.

The text is from Eric Cartman and says:

**Watch Tweek and Craig get back together on live stream for $3.99!**

A hyperlink is attached, presumably linking to the live stream.

Kyle feels his blood boil as he scowls at the text. “What the _fuck_ did he do?” he stares at the message.

Stan clicks on the link, and they are taken to some live stream website. The thumbnail is a picture of Tweek and Craig. The description of the live stream goes as followed: _Watch South Park’s favorite gay couple get back together. Who doesn’t like a good love story?_

“Aw Darn it. They’re just sittin’ there all pissed off and stuff!” Butters says, slamming his fist onto the tale a while peering at his own phone screen. Kenny sits beside him, peering over his hunched shoulder.

Kyle flicks his eyes upon the two blondes, eyebrows narrowing. He tenses before he lunges forward and grabs Butter’s phone.

“Hey! I was watching that!”

Kyle scowls as he looks down at the video displayed on the screen. It is of Tweek and Craig, in Cartman’s _basement._ Tweak sits on the couch, legs crossed and Craig sits on the adjacent side of the room, sitting g on the floor with his head down.

“This is wrong on so many levels.”

“Yeah, dude, this is pretty fucked right here... Definitely more fucked up than placing _bets,_ by the way _…”_

Kyle rolls his glare to his super best friend who just shrugs sheepishly in response. “It is!”

Kyle huffs, setting Butter’s phone on the table. Butters immediately grabs for it.

“We have to do something about this, ” Kyle says.

“Ugh, do we _have_ to?” Stan frowns. The dark-haired male links down into the booth, eyes trained on Kyle.

“ _Yes,”_ he narrows his eyes on the super best friend. “We can’t just let Cartman torture and exploit them! That’s so fucked!”

“Why does it have to be _us_ though?” Stan scrunches his nose up. “Like, where is _Clyde_? Why do _we_ have to help them? We aren’t even that _close_ to them and we haven’t even gotten our food yet. I’m really hungry, dude. Can we just, like, _eat_ and _then_ go?”

Kyle flushes, feeling as though he is the only one of his friends with any morals. “Are you serious, Stan? Don’t you feel at least a bit responsible for what Cartman does? And Craig and Tweek are our friends!”

“If I took responsibility for everything Cartman does, I probably would have offed myself by now,” Stan says, raising an eyebrow. He sits upright, taking a sip of his Coke.

Kyle rests his fist on the table as he turns his head to Butters and Kenny, both back to watching the live stream. “Really? _Really_!?” He lowers his chin, setting narrowed eyes on the pair.

“Now, Kyle, I paid $3.99 for this live stream and I’m not gonna waste that money because _you_ told me to!”

Kyle bares his teeth together.

“I would come… But I want my chili fries, ” Kenny says in almost a whisper, pursing his lips and looking down.

Kyle lets out an exasperated sigh as he slides out of the booth and brings his jacket around him, zipping it up with his head down.

“Kyle, come on, you already ordered! You can’t just leave!” Stan beckons.

“Put it in a take out box,” he rolls his eyes, pulling out a ten-dollar bill to place on the table. He presses his lips together again as he addresses his friends with narrowed eyes. He shakes his head and heaves out a disappointed sigh. “I hope you enjoy your lunch.”

With that, he turns and walks away.

As he does so, he hears Butters calls out, “don’t be such a dick, Kyle!”

Kyle turns around, “ _Yes. I’m_ the dick – you are watching a paid live stream of two of our friends being held hostage – probably not even aware they are being live-streamed – and _I’m_ the dick”.

Stan places his hands over his face, while Kenny just appears to be holding in laughter. He shakes his head and restarts his stride. Sometimes his friends are real ass holes.

He walks to Cartman’s house as fast as he can, both because it is freezing and wants to defuse this as soon as possible. He regrets not warning Craig before. He thinks it over. It may have been too late to warn him about Cartman now, but he can at least text him to let him know he is on a live stream. With gloved hands, he pulls out his phone to send a message.

_Hey, you’re being live-streamed. Don’t say anything you don’t want to be broadcasted. I’m coming right now to set you free._

_What the fuck._

_I’m going to fucking murder him._

_Please hurry._

He exhales, a cloud of smoke pulling from his lips in the cold. So they _didn’t_ know they were being broadcasted. That’s fucking _great._ Hopefully, neither of them said anything _too_ personal.

He wonders how the two even ended up in Cartman’s basement. What did Cartman _do_ to them? How did he lure them there?

After his rosy nose and ruddy cheeks go completely numb, he finally arrives at the Cartman residence. With his lips pressed tightly together, he brings his gloved knuckle to the door. He does not hesitate to _pound_ on it.

Cartman pulls the door open a few moments later, and Kyle immediately pushes him out of the way so he can step inside. Even though Cartman has at _least_ thirty pounds on him, he’s always been easy to push around. Eric immediately wails, even though Kyle barely touched him.

“Kahl! What the _fuck._ You can’t just come into my _house_ and _assault_ me. I’m reporting you to the authorities —,”

“You literally have two of our classmates hostage in your basement right now.”

“They’re not hostages. We’re hanging out! We’re friends. Sorry, you don’t have any friends, Kahl, and you don’t know-how —,”

Kyle walks towards the basement door.

“Aye! Where are you going?! Kahl!”

Kyle finds the basement door, and eyes it, unsure at first how it’s locking them in. Cartman begins to laugh at him as he tries to pull the door open. It hardly budges in response, but it only takes a second for Kyle to realize that Cartman has shoved a paper-made wedge in the door’s sill. He glares at Cartman, which hushes him up before he bends down to remove the paper wedge.

As he does so, Cartman pushes him over, screaming _“No!”_

Kyle groans at the pain of hitting the floor and scowls, pushing Cartman off of him. “Cartman you know I’m stronger than you. Don’t do this.”

Cartman squints his eyes and frowns. As Kyle prepares to pull out the wedge, Cartman pushes him again. Kyle groans again, although this time in annoyance rather than pain. “You made me fucking do this, fat ass!” He says before he lands a punch square into Cartman’s jaw.

  
The other male winces in response and hurtles himself backward in anguish. Kyle quickly pulls the wedge out, stands up, and opens the door.

“You’re free!” Kyle shouts, a little less than enthusiastic and more _annoyed._

A couple of seconds later, he hears movement. The first face he sees is Tweek, who comes barreling up the stairs with a startled expression etched onto his features. He only meets Kyle’s gaze at the top of the staircase. He stands there awkwardly, mouth hanging open a moment before he finally mumbles, “ _uh,_ thanks, Kyle… I’m getting out of here.”

Kyle watches him leave until he hears movement again. He turns his head and spots Craig. Unlike Tweek, he keeps his gaze as he ascends the staircase, looking away when he reaches the top. Instead of looking at Kyle, he looks to Cartman with a scowl.

“Fucking _Dick!”_ He kicks him in the ass. Kyle winces. It looked like it hurt, but he most definitely deserved it — _and_ the punch that Kyle had given him. “Stay out of my goddamn business you psycho,” Craig moves forward to kick him in the stomach, receiving another painful yelp from the boy withering away on the floor.

Kyle sucks in a breath. Maybe he should guide Craig out of here before he actually _does_ kill him. He touches his elbow and is met with a sharp stare. He looks _maddening._ Craig does not normally get worked up like this. He hasn’t seen him really beat anyone up since middle school.

“We should probably go before you actually do murder him.”

Craig huffs and nods, before striding to the front door which still hangs open. Kyle looks down at Cartman. He thinks he is _crying_. “You really deserved _all_ of that. And probably more.”

“Fuck _you,_ Kahl. This is all your fault!”

Kyle huffs and rolls his eyes before he walks away from the blubbering mess. As he leaves the house, he spots Craig at the end of the driveway. He is not sure _why_ but his heart skips a beat in anticipation of what Craig will say to him about this.

He steps off the porch and treads closer to him. Craig bows his head down, hands placed at his sides. He notices that his foot is tapping restlessly.

“So… Thanks.”

“Sure.”

“Cartman is really, _really_ fucking dumb,” Craig shakes his head, eyes raising but not to Kyle. Instead, he focuses on some space beyond his head. Kyle notices the deadly glint in his eye and a crease in his dark eyebrows. “Like I actually lose respect for you for being friends with him.”

Kyle looks away, “I wouldn’t call us _friends…_ It’s more of like a parasitical situation.”

“ _Ugh,_ yeah,” Craig shakes his head again, although microscopically. He is still tapping his foot — _no, leg._ They awkwardly stand there together, Kyle fumbling his hands together. “Fuck him.”

“Yeah,” Kyle agrees.

Craig lifts his gaze. He just stares a moment. Kyle expects him to say something else — it _looks_ like he wants to say something else, but instead, he just says, “Well, I’m going to go isolate myself in my room until I die.”

“That sounds… Fun.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty pumped,” he says in his usual deadpan. “Check you later, Red…” he mumbles, heads down. Kyle watches Craig turn in the direction of his house. He turns to send a glare to the Cartman residence before he sets off to his residence.

5

When Kyle sees Craig Monday morning, it’s awkward.

They still perform in their daily routine: Craig turns around, works on his prep question, and then compares answers with Kyle, but’s it’s _awkward._ He doesn’t know _why_ it’s awkward, or why he _feels_ awkward. He doesn’t know if Craig was awkward first, which made him feel awkward in response. He doesn’t know if it was the other way around.

After they compare answers, both having the correct ones, Craig just wordlessly stares at Kyle’s desk. _Usually,_ if Craig does not feel like talking, he turns back around at his desk, but right now, he stays facing Kyle, heads down.

Kyle doesn’t know what to say. Usually, he doesn’t have to _think_ of anything to say, but right now all he can think of is what happened this past weekend. He knows if he brings it up though, Craig will probably just brush him off.

He decides to bring up the topic in another way — something less about feelings and more about explanation. Kyle knows it may cause Craig to turn away at the mention of the situation, but that would be better than awkward silence.

“So… How did you both happen to end up in Cartman’s basement anyway?”

Craig sighs. “It was stupid,” he keeps his eyes on the desk, tapping his fingers against his notebook.

Kyle eyes his colored nails; the index finger black, while the rest hold a royal-blue hue. For someone as lazy as Craig, he sure keeps up with his nails. They are either polished or bare. He never has _chipped_ nail polish or outgrown nail-polish, contrary to Kenny who once had the same yellow nail polish on for three months.

Craig seems to take _good_ care of his physical appearance. Even when he removes his beanie half-way through the day, his hair lacks that _hat-hair_ appearance and somehow looks good. He suspects that he still _styles_ it most mornings, despite placing a hat over it right after.

While most of his attire consists of dark tones, he’s always stylish. His eyebrows were well trimmed and well kept, as was the occasional stubble that came across his face.

“Come on, you have to tell me. You owe it to me.”

Craig flicks his squinted eyes to meet Kyle’s. “I don’t owe you shit. Stop acting like you’re a good person or something because you let me out of your psychotic friend’s basement.”

Kyle scowls, lowering his chin and narrowing his eyes. “I never said I was a _good_ person. You don’t have to be such an asshole.”

Craig rolls his eyes in a new direction and huffs out through his nostrils. “I’m not telling you because I owe your shit, but he said had the PS5 and was gonna let me be the first person to play it… I didn’t believe he had it so I called him out on his bull shit,” Craig admits. “But he kept insisting he had it… So I went over there to prove it.”

Kyle raises an eyebrow.

“Cartman doesn’t even _like_ Sony,” Kyle twists his eyebrows.

“Yes, dipshit, I’m aware,” he met his brown eyes with hazel. In the fluorescent light of the classroom, Craig’s eyes almost seemed golden. “He played me.”

“It happens,” Kyle flicks his eyes to the feeling, recounting the times in _his_ life he has been played by Cartman. Each time came with increased embarrassment. “Trust me,” he sighs, meeting Craig’s gaze again.

Craig stares wordlessly a moment. Kyle feels _awkward_ just staring into the golden splotched irises so he looks down.

“I really did mean it when I said I lose respect for you every time I see you around him.”

Kyle lands a glare on the other boy.

“I told you, there is no way of getting rid of him… besides, like, murder, and he hasn’t pissed me off enough to cross that line yet.”

“I don’t see why not. With the way he talks to you, I don’t see why you don’t kick his ass.”

“I _have.”_

“The bruise to insult ratio is very low.”

Kyle furrows his eyebrows. It’s obvious that he and Cartman don’t get along — that Cartman is an anti-Semitic piece of _shit_ — but he never thought Craig to really _care._ He’s never once said a word about it in his many years of knowing him.

Everything Cartman says to him pisses him off at the moment, but at this point in life, he doesn’t even give most of the insults a second thought. Cartman is a terrible person, and he’s accustomed to it. Everyone is accustom to it. No one ever addresses all the bull shit Cartman says to him.

Craig continues to stare at him with slightly narrowed golden eyes. It makes him shift uncomfortably in his seat.

“That’s definitely _true…”_ Kyle says, “but I try to be the bigger person. Metaphorically, of course,” he cocks his head to the side.

This prompts a twitch to Craig’s lips, a tiny smile poking through the corners of his mouth.

He wonders if Craig noticed the bruise on Cartman’s jaw. He didn’t realize how hard he punched him before, but the bruise he left was just nasty. Did that prompt this conversation?

“You should stop trying.”

Kyle laughs and shakes his head as he crosses his arms over the desk, mirroring Craig’s position.

“I feel like you’re just trying to do my dirty work.”

Craig shrugs, his expression neutral. “Maybe partially. But I still think you’re way too nice to him.”

“I’m _hardly_ nice to him.”

“Nice enough,” Craig says.

Before Kyle has a chance to respond, their teacher begins to gather the class’s attention. Craig stares a moment longer, then for whatever reason, flips him off and turns around. Kyle furrows his eyebrows at the back of Craig’s head; the whole conversation weirdly … _nice._

He shakes the feeling off. It is like he said: Craig is just trying to get him to do his dirty work.

6

It’s exactly a week later when Jenny Simmons slams her hand on the work table in the middle of the woodshop. He and Stan both jump in their seats and snap their eyes up with equally wide stares. Kyle’s eyebrows furrow. He has no idea what Jenny Simmons wants from either of them, but whatever it is, it doesn’t seem good.

“I hope you know that a lot of us consider you a homewrecker, Kyle.”

Kyle is stunned into silence as he stares wide-eyed at the brunette. What the hell is she talking about?

Soon, Lola steps up beside her, crossing her arms. “Just because Tweek and Craig are on a _break,_ doesn’t mean he is up for grabs!”

“What the _—,”_ Kyle sputters, eyeing Stan who merely shrugs in response. He eyes the girls again, “I have _no_ idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t! Everyone knows you like Craig. You’re trying to steal him from poor Tweek!”

Kyle twists his eyebrows. _What the actual fuck is happening right now._ He opens his mouth to protest, but nothing comes out. He feels as though his brain is malfunctioning.

  
Stan seems to take notice as his eyebrows draw inwards. He turns his attention to the female pair. “Kyle doesn’t like Craig. And even if he did, they are broken up. They have been for like a month now! Get over it.”

Lola scoffs and folds her arms across her chest. “They are obviously getting back together, so you better not get in the way of that, Kyle.”

He finally finds his words as he says, “I don’t _like_ Craig! Where did you even hear that? And why is everyone in this school obsessed with their relationship? Don’t you have relationships of your own to figure out? Why do you need to live vicariously through them?”

Jenny Simmons scoffs. “Tweek is our _friend_ and we are looking out for him! You’re the obsessed one. _With Craig!”_

Kyle’s jaw hangs open at the implication again. Where the fuck is this coming from and when did it start? Does Craig know about it? Who is Kyle kidding? Of course he knows about it. He keeps tabs of all the South Park drama. Did he know about it this morning? It was only two periods since he saw him. Everything seemed normal between them tough; _well,_ as normal as it _normal_ as it _has_ been between them ever since Kyle freed him from Cartman’s basement. The awkwardness that followed afterward never fully went away.

“I’m not _obsessed_ with Craig, or _anyone_ for that matter! Someone is obviously just _bored_ and creating drama.”

“Whatever, Kyle, we know you punched Cartman because he was trying to help Tweek and Craig get back together.”

“He _locked them in his basement!_ ” Kyle narrowed his eyes on the pair, slamming his fist on the table. “What is wrong with you people?”

“What’s wrong with you!?”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Mr. Adler suddenly says from his desk at the front of the room. “Stop fooling around. Sit back down, will you?”

The girls both flash him a nasty glare before trotting away back to their own work desk. Kyle just stares ahead, jaw clenching as he releases a sharp huff through his nose. Fucking _Cartman._

“ _Dude_. That was pretty fucked up right there.”

Kyle shakes his head.

“Do you like him?”

“ _What?”_ Kyle whips his head to his friend with wide eyes. “ _No!_ Of course not. Why would you even _believe_ that? It’s obviously just Cartman getting _back_ at me for ruining his dum, sadistic captive plan to force two people back together!”

“Woah, okay, chill. I’m just _asking…_ I mean, maybe, yeah, Cartman _started_ the rumor, but like…,” Stan stammers. He lowers his voice, “but like, I don’t know, dude. You _were,_ like, super _determined_ to set them free from Cartman’s basement.”

“He was keeping them in his _basement!”_

“Yeah, and he’s kept Butters down there longer. Dude’s a fucking lunatic! But I don’t remember you doing anything _then._ He’s done much worse to people, and you didn’t stop him, then.”

Kyle opens his mouth, ready to jump to defense, but he realizes Stan is _right._ Cartman has done _much_ worse to others, and Kyle’s let it happen. Of course he tries to turn Cartman in the right direction as often as he can, but it’s hard to keep up with all of it. And Stan is right. He _has_ let him get away with much worse…

He lowers his gaze onto the work desk.

“And, like, you _did_ punch him… and like, I don’t know… The whole thing with Clyde,” Stan clears his throat, looking away. “And I don’t know… Sometimes at lunch, you just talk to Craig the whole time. Except this past week… You’ve been _weird,_ but honestly that only had me questioning it more.”

“Questioning it _more?_ What? You’ve questioned it before this?”

“Yeah, dude. Did you not just hear me?” Stan asks. He sighs and shakes his head. “I never _really_ started to think so since recently… but yeah. I don’t think it’s _that_ insane to think you might _like_ him.”

Kyle feels like something is stuck in his throat. What the _hell_ is happening right now?

His immediate reaction is to deny it — tell Stan he is out of his fucking mind for suggesting that. But he is not so sure. He thinks over the last few months, sitting behind Craig in Econ and working with him on the dumb prep questions. He thinks of the annoyance he felt towards Craig and Tweek’s relationship; the avoidance of it; the _hope_ that one day they would both get it together and leave it for good.

He is stunned into silence; a million thoughts racing through his head. He never actively _thought_ of Craig in that way, but thinking of it _now_ — it’s not like he would _not_ date him, he just hasn't ever really _considered_ it before because of Tweek. He supposes that is true now though still. What if they _do_ get back together again? Sure, usually their break ups only lasted a few days; at most a week, while now it’s nearly been a month. But they can still get back together.

Yet, he really doesn’t want them to, and why?

Because he knows they are a bad couple or because of other _ulterior_ reasons?  
  


“Holy _shit._ What if I do?”

“You really don’t _know?”_

_“_ I hadn’t thought about it much.”

“What’s to _think_ about? You just go with how you _feel,_ dude.”

“That’s gay.”

“You’re literally talking about liking a dude right now, and I’m being gay? That makes sense.”

  
Kyle huffs out a breath and pulls his hands to his sides. He suddenly just realized he has bigger problems than figuring out if he has a crush on Craig. “I’m going to _kill_ Cartman.”

Kyle resists stealing a carving knife from shop class as they are released for lunch. He marches through the hallways as fast as he cash to the cafeteria, Stan barely catching up behind him. Once he gets to the cafeteria, he scans around for Cartman. When he catches view of him in the lunch line, Kyle darts over.

He stands, talking to Butters in line. Kyle narrows his eyes on Cartman and jabs a finger into his chest.

“Why are you telling people that I _like_ Craig, fat ass?”

“Whatever are you talking about my dear Kahl? Why would I ever tell anyone that you like Craig?”

Kyle nearly growls as he twists his finger further into his chest. He thinks of what Craig said to him last week about how he should punch Cartman more often. Now, Kyle wonders if Craig had _known_ about Kyle punching Cartman. Did he make anything of that?

He snaps out of it and pulls away, “stop spreading rumors about me, or I swear to god, I’ll kick your ass.”

Not wanting to hear another word from Cartman, he turns away. Stan follows closely behind him as they make there way to the back of the lunch line. After they pick up their hot lunch, they head to their usual table, but Kyle halts upon seeing Craig.

“ _Dude,”_ Stan elbows him.

“Do you think Craig knows?”

He sits at the table, pulling a sandwich from his paper lunch bag, sitting next to Kenny and Clyde, Bebe across from them.

“Um,”

“No shit. Of course he does,” Kyle huffs, looking down at his lunch tray. _Fuck._ He can’t deal with Craig right now — _this_ right now. “I’m going to eat in the library today.”

“Seriously?” Stan cocks his head at him.

  
“I’ll see you later,” Kyle says before departing. Stan doesn’t follow him. He’s glad. He needs to _think —_ sort out his jumbled thoughts and process them into feelings, or make _sense_ of his feelings. One of the two. He feels like he hasn’t even had a chance to _think_ — to _consider_ it.

Craig has always been Tweek’s; someone off limits and _taken_ — the door _locked._

Now, though, that door is open, and all these stupid thoughts and feelings have come with it. Even when he saw him in the cafeteria, his heart skipped a beat. Why?

Why? He was just fucking pulling out a goddamn sandwich — sitting in the same spot he’s sat for the past year.

Usually, Kyle sits beside him, across Stan and Clyde. Kenny and Cartman sit on the other end, then Butters and Token opposite. Occasionally, it will change up. Kenny will sit with whoever he is trying to woo that week, Token will sit with Nichole, and Butters will sit with someone else. Sometimes Jimmy will join them instead. Tweek will periodically sit with them, but usually sits with his theater friends. Sometimes Tweek and Craig will gather at another table. Kyle has seen Craig sit with Tweek and the theaters kids a couple times, but most of the time, he’s at their table.

But today has been the first time his heart skipped a beat upon seeing him there.

  
He thinks of Econ every morning — their little routine, and chatter. He thinks of how he _waits_ to see Craig walk through the doorway on those late mornings. He never fails to smile at Craig’s lack of respect for authority and obvious indifference to the pledge. He thinks of how he is slightly offended whenever Craig turns away after they complete their prep questions — _insulted_ that Craig doesn’t want to talk to him. He thinks how that offensive action is more than _offensive_ , but _disappointing._

Stan said that he talks to Craig a lot at lunch, and he does. It’s not because they _cut_ anyone out of the conversation, but it’s just that no one else seems to care for their discussions. Craig will sometimes bring up videos he watched the night before about spacetime and relativity, and Kyle will be the only one to want to listen. Sometimes he will bring them up to show him, and Kyle will make fun of him for his history that consists of _funny pet videos,_ but Kyle has always found it kind of endearing.

He thinks of Craig’s teasing — how he seems to do it to him more than anyone else and how this somehow makes him feels _special_ almost from it.

He _likes_ it when he teases him. 

He likes _him_.

Turns out there is truth to the rumors after all.

7

He plops down into his desk, feeling extremely exhausted from the restless night of sleep before. He spent the whole night trying to figure out what he should do about this Craig situation.

In a rare turn of events, Craig shows up _before_ the bell rings.

He wears his usual grey beanie and thick indigo jacket. When he slinks down into his seat, he immediately finds his mouth opening.

“You’re here early.”

Perhaps, he just needs to see test the waters — gauge a reaction from Craig to see if he’s heard the rumors, even though he most definitely, probably has. Kyle would not be surprised if Cartman directly told Craig. Although he hopes Craig would be smart enough to not believe him… even though, well, he supposes it’s true — he _does_ like him.

“You weren’t at lunch yesterday,” Craig twists his body around to look at him. His legs position on one side of his desk as he pulls his notebook and folder from his backpack.

Kyle was not expecting that response.

“So what? You’re making up for lost time?” Kyle asks before thinking.

_Fuck._

He finds himself flushing even though _he_ is the one who said it.

What is he doing? Why did he say that? That sounds like flirting and that’s only going to make Craig have _further_ reason to believe the rumors — does he _want_ him to believe the rumors? No. He doesn’t. The rumors are some fucked up version of the truth. Yes, Kyle may _like_ him, but he likes him in his own context; not whatever context Cartman made up.

Craig does not seem to make anything of it though. Only a trace of a smile elicits as a response. “Just stating the obvious, like you were.”

Kyle rolls his eyes.

_This_ is who he likes — a stupid, smart ass who can barely make it through a greeting without making some sarcastic comment. Before he can continue further, the bell rings. They go through the routine like normal. Pledge. Morning announcements. Craig turning around. Prep questions.

As Kyle writes the problem down, he takes in a deep breath.Whatever rush of confidence he had before has deflated. Craig stays quiet, scribbling on his notebook, eyebrow creased.

  
Kyle flickers his eyes across the other male’s face as he has the chance to do so freely. He is certain this would be less of an issue if Craig was not so stupidly attractive. His eye brows are full and arched perfectly. Kyle is pretty sure Bebe taught him how to tweeze and wax them himself. He remembers her bragging about it — how she was inherently responsible for his perfect eyebrows. Craig rolled his eyes in response when she said it but didn’t deny it.

His eyes trail down the bump of his nose and to his cupid bow that molds out his perfectly shaped lips. He’s never allowed himself to stare this long — to _really_ check out his features like this — _to admire them_. It is no secret that Craig is attractive, but he is only realizing now how above average he really is. With his sharp jaw line and golden-specks in his wide hazel eyes, he was easily one of the most attractive boys in their school, even if his teeth are a little crooked, and slightly overlapping in some places. Perhaps it adds character.

When Craig flicks his hazels up, Kyle immediately flushes and looks down to his notebook. His eyes lock on the unsolved problem. He can _feel_ Craig staring at him. He wonders if Craig could feel him staring as well.

_No, how could he?_

Thirty seconds later, Craig declares that he is done, while Kyle has barely even _started_. He cannot focus with Craig here, especially with gaze upon him now, waiting for him to be done.

“You forget to take your annoying pills or something today, Broflovski?”

Kyle lifts his head to glare at the male in front of him.

“You definitely didn’t forget to take yours,” Kyle drawls before returning to his notebook; the offensive words finally eliciting speech from him . He is too aware of Craig. He can’t even _think_ with him watching over him. He rubs a hand over his face.

He _needs_ to know if he has heard the rumors.

“You’re the one acting weird.”

His heart stalls. He hesitates and swallows. He raises his gaze to Craig’s. “How am I acting weird?” He asks.

“For one, you are uncharacteristically quiet,” Craig raises his eyebrows, “two, you have barely even _started_ the problem, and I’m finished,” Craig nods to his notebook sprawled open on Kyle’s desk. Craig lifts his head back to him and golden eyes find him again. “Three, you aren’t getting all agitated that I finished first.”

“I don’t get all _agitated_ when you finish first,”

“Sure you don’t,” Craig shrugs. “But whatever. I still have my first two points anyways if you’re gonna deny that one.”

“You’re not the only person in the world who gets to be _tired,_ Craig. I had a late night…” he huffs, turning his gaze back to his homework.  
  


“What kept you up?”

Kyle stalls, feeling regret wash over him.

_You._

He inhales through his nose, “I don’t know. Just couldn’t sleep.”

A moment passes where Craig doesn’t say anything. Kyle thinks he is going to turn around and end the conversation, but he doesn’t. Instead he says, “you can just copy mine if you want.”

“No,” Kyle snaps his eyes up to him.

“You didn’t sleep well.”

“So?”

Craig shrugs. “Give yourself a break,” he pushes his own notebook towards Kyle.

Kyle stares down. It honestly doesn’t even _matter._ Their teacher doesn’t even collect the prep questions. She just calls on random people to make sure they do it.

Generally, Kyle is against cheating, but since this is not being _graded_ , he supposes it is okay. He copies Craig’s work, allowing his tiredness to win out. He supposes Craig owes this to him anyway — considering _he_ was inadvertently responsible for keeping him awake.

“Thanks,” Kyle pushes the notebook back to Craig with his eyes downcast.

  
Craig nods and pulls it back.

Before they can say much else, their teacher begins lecture.

  
When class is over, they walk out together like normal, except it is quiet again.

Kyle decides to say what is needed. He can’t deal with the uncertainty of things right now.

“So… I think Cartman started this rumor, that I _like you,_ and that’s why — I helped you out of the basement, so I’m sorry. I’m not sure if you even heard it but —,”

“I heard it,” Craig says.

Kyle flushes. He snaps his eyes to Craig’s, feeling panic set in as he does so. Craig wears a blank expression; just staring and giving Kyle _nothing._ Kyle swallows. He actually _really,_ really regrets bringing this up. He should have just let the rumor die like all the rest, and dealt with another awkward week with Craig.

“Well, I don’t have a crush on you,” he says in a rush of panic.

He instantly regrets that too.

Jesus. What is he doing? What does he _want_ from this?

He likes Craig, but he doesn’t want things to be _awkward._ He doesn’t want to look _ridiculous_ when Craig is planning to get back together with his ex-boyfriend.

“I didn’t think you did.”

“Great… I’m glad we got this settled then.”

“Yeah.”

Their gaze lingers a moment than necessary.

“So now that you got that off your chest, you’ll be at lunch then… You’ll quit avoiding me? And maybe actually _talk_ to me?”

Kyle dreads the heat that crawls up his neck and loud beating of his heart. “I wasn’t — I’m not _avoiding_ you, asshole — not everything is about you! But yeah — yeah, I’ll be there.”

_“_ Yeah, yeah, you _totally_ weren’t, and I’m not avoiding _your_ bull shit right now by walking away from you.”

With that, Craig throws his middle finger up and turns to walk down the hallway. Kyle glares at the back of his head as he moves further away. Stupid asshole always has to make a dramatic exit.

8

It turns out, lunch is still awkward.

Or maybe _he_ just feels awkward about it; especially with not only _Stan’s_ but everyone else’s eyes on him as well. He assumes they all heard the rumors, but he refuses to address them with Craig beside him. The conversation in the hallway earlier was awkward enough. He doesn’t want to go through it again.

He’ll bring it up _another_ time.

When he sees Tweek in fifth period later that day, he decides it will be best to explain things to him as well. He walks up to his desk and stands before it — receiving wide eyes from the blonde. Kyle clears his throat before speaking.

“Hey Tweek, so. I’m not sure if you heard — those dumb rumors about me liking Craig – but I just wanted to make things clear. They aren’t true.”

In response, Tweek does something he does not expect. He _rolls_ his eyes.

“Yes! I know they aren’t true! I know they aren’t because I’m not fucking _heart broken_ over you liking him —,” he shakes his head, fist hitting the top of his desk. “I don’t know where people make this shit up! I wouldn’t care if you liked Craig. We broke up! _A month ago!_ Why can’t people just leave us alone!? This is probably why we can’t ever stay broken up! Because everyone gets in our goddamn business! They won’t leave us _alone.”_

_Okay_.

He didn’t expect Tweek to be a blubbering, crying mess about it or anything, but he wasn’t expecting _this_.

Tweek puffs out his cheeks and looks down, shaking his head. “I mean, like, yeah? Maybe it would sting a _little_ to see Craig with someone else! But it’s fucking natural, and we broke up! And it was a _mutual_ decision! — We are _good._ We had a long conversation after that whole thing with Cartman, and we are _fine._ I don’t know why people have to create these rumors about us. Girls keep coming up to me and apologizing to me! I don’t even know why! I don’t even _talk_ to them.”

Kyle thinks of Lola and Jenny. He flushes awkwardly.

“I — uh, — I’m sorry. That’s really frustrating,” he offers, scratching the back of his head. “Cartman is a huge dick, and I’m pretty convinced he is responsible for all this.”

“Of course he is! He always is responsible for this shit!” Tweek shakes his head. “Just tell him to leave me alone, man! Leave Craig alone! Just let us be in peace — _Jesus.”_

“I’ll do my best… But um… okay. I just wanted to let you know.”

“Thanks, I guess, but I’m not some psycho! If you like him, you like him, that’s fine,” Tweek says. “We aren’t together anymore.”

Once again, his instant reaction is to deny it. He doesn’t need to _fuel_ the rumors further, even though he does not think Tweek is the type to spread them. But he is not going to tell _Tweek_ he likes Craig before he tells Craig he likes Craig — if he ever decides to tell him at all.

“Okay, well, like. I don’t, I just wanted to clear that up,” Kyle nods curtly. “And I don’t think you’re a psycho. And I don’t think anyone else thinks so either.”

  
“Thanks,” Tweek pushes out air through his puffed out cheeks. “I really hope not.”

He walks back to his desk, feeling almost overwhelmed from the conversation. He learned more about Tweek and Craig’s break up in a single conversation with Tweek than his multiple, daily conversations with Craig over the past month. _Really sums them up._

He also just essentially got Tweek’s _blessings_ of sorts, and yet he still feels clueless on what to do. Just because Tweek is okay with Kyle liking Craig, doesn’t mean _Craig_ is okay with Kyle liking Craig.

He kind of wishes he just never discovered his feelings at all because _damn,_ this crush is annoying.

9

The rumors of Kyle having a crush on Craig die down, but his feelings don’t. In fact, he is pretty sure they just get _worse._ He feels like a fucking mess around him. Every time he is around him, he feels incredibly aware of what he says — of what he _does._

_It’s terrible,_ and then Craig makes it _worse._

He starts to _tease_ him about the fucking rumors.

Because of course he does! He is a giant, fucking bag of rotting dicks.

It starts off with, “Come on, Broflovski — It’s been a week. Are you really still going to be awkward about your crush on me?”

He immediately flushes at the words and glares. He presses his lips together and punches him in the shoulder. “I don’t fucking _like_ you, douche bag. Get over yourself. I’m not being awkward.”

It’s all lies, of course, because he _does_ like him and he _is_ being awkward. He supposes that it doesn’t help that he denies it. Maybe he should just say _yeah, I like you,_ and stump that stupid asshole but that sounds pretty mortifying…

Craig’s teasing continues throughout the rest of the week. Kyle thinks he will get used to the comments, but he doesn’t. Each time, he burns brightly across his cheeks, and it only makes it _worse,_ knowing Craig can obviously spot the blush.

“Why is he such a fucking dick?” Kyle says to Stan one day after school while hanging out in his room with Kenny. “Why the _fuck_ do I _like_ someone who is such a dick?”

“Craig’s pretty fucking hot,” is Kenny’s unhelpful response.

“Why don’t you just tell him him you _do_ like him? I don’t understand your game.”

“I don’t know! I don’t _have_ a game, I just — I mean, I don’t _think_ Tweek and Craig will get back together, but like, I don’t know. It’s hard to read Craig. He could still be in love with him, for all I know.”

“Is Craig capable of that big of an emotion?” Kenny asks, once again being _unhelpful._

Stan laughs and Kyle sighs. He stops his pace around his room, and sinks onto his bed next to Stan. Kenny lays across his floor. He almost _tripped_ on him multiple times through his pacing. He is half-convinced he only sits now to avoid falling over.

“He was with Tweek for a long time, ” Stan offers with a shrug, throwing a small rubber ball between his hands as he speaks. “That has to count for something.”

Kyle throws his head against the wall adjacent to his bed, emitting a sigh to pass through his lips.

“Well, I’m sure if you made a move, he wouldn’t reject it. He’s probably pretty horny now that he doesn’t have a regular-dose of dick to swallow.”

“ _Not_ helpful!” Kyle rolls his eyes to the ceiling.

“I mean, he’s gotta a point though with making a move —,” Stan offers. “I’m like 95% sure he’d be into it. He definitely _likes_ you — like I don’t know in what way, but he definitely pays most attention to you at lunch, and Clyde is supposedly his best friend, so I think that says something.”

He recalls Craig’s myriad of complaints regarding Clyde, and shakes his head. “I don’t know… He is just acting like this whole thing is a stupid joke… I feel like that’s all it is to him.”

“He’s pretty fucking dense,” Kenny offers. _Slightly helpful._ “I wouldn’t be surprised if he has no idea you’re into him at all.”

“I mean, I haven’t really been _trying_ to make that point clear,”

Stan snorts. Kyle picks his head up to look at him.

“It’s pretty fucking clear, dude,” Stan says.

He punches him in the arm in response.

His friends are unhelpful.

Still unsure _how_ to go about it, Craig’s teasing continues — becoming a _daily_ fucking thing that Kyle has to endure. He wishes that this would seize his eelings for him, but somehow, it just makes it so, _so much_ worse.

He supposes he should at least be grateful that Craig only seems to tease him about this in private.

10

It’s at the end of the first quarter, when he spots him. _Craig_ mother fucking _Tucker_ in the bleachers. He stands next to Clyde and a Nikon camera hangs around his neck. Kyle is _so_ distracted by him that he completely misses the ball when it’s thrown to him. Instead, a player from the other team captures it.

_Fucking Craig —_ ruining school for him, and now basketball too.

He plays the rest of the game with a distracted mind. He tries to forget Craig is there — _watching_ him, but it’s rather difficult. Whenever he _does_ look at Craig, he seems to be looking back. He does not usually come to basketball games — and with the camera around his neck, he can only assume he is here for yearbook or something.

He reminds him self of this. Craig is on Yearbook, and people from Yearbook will occasionally go to school events to take photos. He’s seen Craig and his camera at other schools events before. Just not _basketball games._

During half-time, he wants to go talk to him, but he doesn’t have the time. Instead, their coach gives them shit about doing so poorly today. Kyle tries to not blame himself. He is definitely off his game.

_Stupid Craig._

Couldn’t he have _mentioned_ he was coming? He saw him this _morning._

The next two quarters go slightly better, but they still lose. His teammates rag on him for doing poorly and he does his best to keep his cool. He knows they are _right_ , but they don’t have to rub it in. He takes his time to change back into his normal clothes. Not everyone on the team does this, but Kyle always takes a shower after the games. He always feels sweaty and gross after.

By the time he showers and puts on a new set of clothes, almost everyone is gone.

When he steps out of the locker room and into the hallway, he is surprised to see Craig there. The tall and lanky male leans against the lockers, flipping through his camera. Apparently Craig is _so_ preoccupied in whatever he is staring at that he doesn’t even notice Kyle. Or maybe he does, and he is just purposely ignoring him to mess with him. That also seems like something Craig would do.

“What are you doing?” Kyle asks.

This grabs the other male’s attention. He raises his head to him. Nothing changes on his expression. He wonders what it is like to be able to hide your emotions so well. Kyle has always had trouble with that. He sort envies Craig in a way.

Craig shuts his camera off and lets it fall back down against his chest, the strap around his neck. “Good game,” is what he says instead of answering the question.

Kyle glares as he steps closer to him. The hallway is dark — the lights are off, and only the glow of the streetlights bounces off the walls. Shadows cross the taller boy’s face, only exaggerating the depth of his cheekbones and jawline.

“With how little you know at sports, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were being serious.”

“Doesn’t take a genius to know know that 19 points is less than 27.”

“You ever think of cheerleading, Craig? Because you really know how to make a guy feel supported.”

Craig cracks a smile at him. “You want me to be your cheerleader? Really subscribing to that jock role, aren’t you, Broflovski?”

Kyle’s stomach flips at the words — _the stupid implications of the words._ The air from his lungs has been ripped out and replaced with fury. He glares up at the taller male with slitted eyes.

“I know you only came to the game because you had to take pictures for yearbook, or whatever,” Kyle flips the camera lightly to exaggerate the point. “So what are you still doing here? The game is over.”

“Isn’t it a jock’s dream to see there crush waiting for them after the game or something? Or is that only when they win?”

Kyle scowls, fists clenching at his sides. He is torn between wanting to _punch_ and _kiss_ him as heat catches fire to his neck and then cheeks. His whole body fills with rage, or _butterflies._ What’s the fucking difference at this point?

“You fucking _wish_ I had a crush on you,” he jabs a finger into the male’s chest, speaking through barred teeth.

Craig’s eyes flicker down to jab and then back to Kyle’s narrowed gaze. But as Craig meets his gaze again, he finds himself softening as he always does around him. The only time he thinks he can even speak to Craig properly anymore is when he makes him mad, which is _often,_ but _still_.

“Yeah? You think so?” Craig speaks in a hushed whisper, eyes flickering against Kyle’s own. “Sounds more like a wish of yours.”

His heart pounds in his ears as he stares back; eyes flickering against Craig’s in the dark hallway. He fucking hates that Craig can render him speechless this.

“My _wish_ is for you to _fuck_ off.”

“No one is keeping you here, Broflovski.”

Kyle glowers at him, his skin prickling with heat from irritation and frustration. He is literally the most _annoying_ person Kyle has ever crushed on. He is such a _dick_.“You’re the one who's pinning me against the lockers. It’s not my fault that you don’t have the actual balls —,”

“I’m not pinning you against the lockers!” Kyle’s pulls his hand back from his chest, only to shove him into the lockers. Craig’s back falls against the lockers. “ _This,”_ Kyle’s pushes his hands over his shoulders, “Is pinning you against the lockers.”

Craig is stumped at this, eyes wide and focused on him, the specks of gold lost among the dim light. Crag’s chest rises and falls. Kyle’s heart _races_ as their eyes dance back and forth. The air is thick around them. Kyle watches his lips, waiting for some stupid remark to come through them, but nothing does. He flickers his eyes up to meet hazel.

Before he even knows what he is _doing,_ or if this is a good _idea,_ he lunges forward. He captures Craig’s lips with his own, cupping his hands over the taller male’s shoulders as he does so. He feels ripples run through his body as their lips meet; explosions of some sort piercing through his heart and mind.

When Craig wraps his hands around his waist and pulls him forward, he gasps or _whines_ , more like it. His chest hits the camera around his Craig’s neck, and it’s slightly uncomfortable, jabbing into him, but it’s well worth it to be closer. The feeling of Craig’s hands on him — _pulling him closer_ — is pure elation.

With a tilt of each of their heads, Craig’s tongue slides inside his mouth — the elation expanding and spreading through him like wild fire. He slides his hand up the back of his neck and into his hair. It’s as soft as he always imagined.

With every break, he takes in a deep breath, not wanting this feeling of elation to end. He is so enthralled with the make out session that he in fact forgets where he is at — in the middle of the school hallway.

He is reminded of this when he hears Clyde shout out, “Craig! Oh —,”

Kyle jumps back as if he has been burned. Maybe he has. His skin has never felt this hot before. He breathes out heavily, eyeing Craig and then the intruder who stands at the end of the hallway.

“Shit — Uh, sorry — Um. I’m — I’ll be outside,” Clyde announces, back stepping around the corner. “Just, um, yeah let me know… When you’re finished… Don’t let me intrude.”

Kyle hangs his head low, restraining himself from touching his still burning lips. He instead licks them, thoughts running wild in his head of what just happened — of Clyde _seeing_ what just happened. Can anything in his life be goddamn private?  
  


“Fucking Clyde,” Craig mumbles.

Kyle lifts his gaze to him. He looks flushed as well, even under the darkness.

“If I don’t catch up to him… He’s going to blab to Bebe, and if he gets to her, the whole school may as well know.”

“You better catch up to him then,” Kyle keeps his gaze down, feeling that awkwardness settle back over them.

Craig stands there — a moment longer — as if he is going to say something meaningful, but when he speaks next, it’s just, “ _uh,_ yeah… Well. See you tomorrow.”

As he parts, he places a hand on Kyle’s shoulder which Kyle lifts his head up to with furrowed brows. Even though they had just been all over each other, the physical contact is unusual. Craig doesn’t typical _do_ that.

He watches him leave, feeling like he somehow is _still_ doing this all wrong. They just _made out_ but he still feels… uncertain about the situation. Perhaps it is because right before their makeout session, Kyle said he didn’t _like_ him, or maybe its Craig’s urgent need to discern Clyde from spreading the news.

Sure, it’s not like Kyle wants Clyde to tell people either. But mostly because he has no idea what is even _happening_ between them.

Craig must catch him in time though because he doesn’t receive any texts from anyone about it.

As he lies down that night for bed, he doesn’t know if he is _excited_ or _dreadful_ for Econ. Maybe a little of both.

11

When he sees him tomorrow, things are even more awkward than before. They majorly only speak of Economics, and when lunchtime rolls around, Craig occupies himself with conversation with Jimmy and Token. Kyle catches Clyde staring at him occasionally, but he just _glares_ in response.

Even though it’s awkward, he is unable to keep his mind of Craig’s lips. He probably stares at them most of lunch — nearly has a heart attack when he is _caught_ him looking. He doesn’t look long enough to catch Craig’s response though.

After school that day, he has a student council meeting to discuss Sadie Hawkins — and then basketball practice at 4pm. Usually, he does homework in the library until Basketball practice, but today he sits in one of the classrooms, listening to Wendy discuss details of the dance.

Somehow, _he_ is the one sent to the computer lab to make flier copies for the dance. When he gets there, he discovers that Yearbook Club is today, meaning _Craig_ is inside the room. It’s a rather _small_ lab, and it’s unlikely that he will go unnoticed, but he still _hopes_ he will as he steps inside.

He walks over to a printer, and as he prepares to make copies, he hears Craig’s voice.

“What are you doing?”

Kyle flicks his eyes up to hazel. He swallows. “Making copies of these fliers —,” Kyle holds up the paper.

Craig eyes him skeptically.

“I’m not _stalking_ you if that’s what you think.”

“Why would I think that?”

Kyle groans and turns his head to the copying machine/printer. He places the paper between the machine’s hinges, and inputs how many copies he needs. “I don’t know. You’ve only been making jokes about me having a crush on you for weeks now.”

The machine roars awake. He watches as the paper pulls through the machine. Out of the corner of his eye, he can sense Craig still next to him.

“Um,” Craig scratches the back of his neck. “Okay? Jesus — why are you being so weird about this?” Craig’s voice lowers.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been weird since this morning.”

“Why wouldn’t I be weird about you constantly saying I have a crush on you?”

Craig stares at him with a furrow in his brow. “Look, Kyle… Just tell me to _fuck off,_ if this is the case, but was yesterday just a _fluke_ or something?”

“What?”

Craig rolls his eyes and groans. “Fine. I get it. You were fucking with me or something… Just — okay.”

Craig begins to walk away but Kyle grabs his wrist before he can fully do so. Kyle lets it go once he realizes that a whole crowd of students surround them. Craig meets his gaze with wide eyes.

“I — Jesus, can we have this conversation in private? I thought you hated public affairs?”

Craig rolls his eyes. Instead of giving a direct answer, as per usual, he walks out of the computer lab and into the empty hallway. Kyle follows.

When Kyle stands before him, Craig raises his eyebrows at him.

“I wasn’t _fucking_ with you, ” Kyle says.

“Okay. Then why were you so weird in Econ today?”

“I wasn’t!”

“You wouldn’t even _look_ at me.”

Kyle huffs. _Fuck._ Dammit. He doesn’t know how to fucking do this shit. He always fucks it up.

“Sorry,” Kyle clicks their eyes together. “I just — I’m not entirely sure where you stand. You haven’t exactly been clear.”

“I think I was pretty clear yesterday?”

“By what? Shoving your tongue down my throat? I have no idea _what_ that is supposed to mean.”

“Jesus, Kyle,” Craig rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. “What do you _think_ it means?” he clicks their eyes together again.

“That you think I’m _attractive_ enough to make out _,_ I guess?”

“That is _literally_ the most fucking straight-forward ass thinking I ever heard.”

“Is that supposed to be an insult?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“How about instead of making me figure out your stupid riddles, _you_ just be straight-forward with me for once,” Kyle sets his hands on his hips.

“I literally came to your _basketball_ game and _waited_ for you… and you took your _sweet_ time too. You were literally the last one out.”

Kyle draws his eyebrows together. He flicks his eyes to the computer lab, briefly wondering if his copies are done. He turns his stare back to Craig. He assumed Craig had been there for Yearbook. Why _else_ would he come to his game? He’s asked him a dozen times before — at the time, not even thinking that meant anything, but now realizing it was probably just a result of his stupid crush. Craig always said he wasn’t interested though.

“You weren’t there for yearbook?”

“No, idiot. Why would I be waiting for you after for _yearbook?”_

_“_ You had your camera, Jack Ass! And seeing you at a sports events is not exactly a _regular_ occurrence!” Kyle glares. He still doesn’t even know if he _believes_ him. “Why did you have your camera then? If you were just there for _fun?”_

“Oh my god, Kyle. Are you serious? Like are you _really_ this dumb?”

“Stop calling me dumb!”

Craig shakes his head. “I brought my camera because I like taking pictures, and I thought I could get some cool action shots of you.”

“That’s…,” he is about to say _invasive,_ but then he stops himself. “Why?”

Craig shakes his head. “Why did you _kiss_ me?” Craig counters.

“Because you’re fucking annoying!” Kyle clenches his fists at his side. “And you wouldn’t _shut up_ about me having a dumb crush on you.”

“And you thought that would? _What_? Prove you _don’t_?”

Kyle stills.

_No._

He honestly wasn’t thinking much at all when he did it.

“Because it pretty much had the opposite effect.”

Kyle sighs and locks their eyes together again, his face burning. “You never said why you wanted to take pictures of me.”

“Is it really not obvious?”

Kyle just glares in response. “I mean. I think I may understand but…,” he shakes his head. “Just so were on the same page… you already seem pretty certain that I like you, so, it would be cool to have that same confidence.”

“I like you.”

Kyle widens his eyes, his heart dropping into his stomach. He searches his handsome face, looking for any indication that this is all part of a running joke. He does not find any such indications. Instead, his normally blank face and bored eyes glows with a certain softness.

He can’t stop himself from asking.

It’s more or less the reason he felt so immobilized in what to do with his crush on Craig.

“What about Tweek?”

“What about him?”

“I — you — What if you end up wanting to get back together with him?”

He recalls the time, periodically in fourth grade when he dated Heidi — after she ended things with Cartman. She ended up ditching him within the week and going back to him.

“Is that what’s stopping you?”

“I mean, I don’t know? A little, but before today, I didn’t even think you _liked_ me. You’re not exactly easy to read.”

“So I’ve been told…” Craig filters his eyes away.

Suddenly, Kyle regrets bringing Tweek up at all. He has been thinking about Craig nonstop for over a month now — fantasizing of this exact moment. Now, he is ruining it by bringing up his ex-boyfriend.

Craig keeps his eyes downcast as he takes in a deep breath. “Look, I’m not sure how to prove that’s not going to happen… but that’s not going to happen.”

As Kyle watches him tense up, jaw slacking, he finds himself trusting him. He knows that maybe it’s partially a leap of faith, but he supposes that Craig is right. Kyle doesn’t think there is anything he could say to fully convince him, but maybe that is okay.

Because he likes him.

And Kyle likes him too, like _a lot._

“Okay… I believe you.”

Craig lifts his head up, eyebrows creasing. A tiny smile pulls out on his lips. “Really? I don’t have to make some speech to convince you?”

Kyle laughs. “I don’t think I’d want to make you make a speech — I can’t imagine it would be any good.”

Craig glares at him.

Kyle grins in response. “But it’s fine, I probably make enough speeches for both of us.”

“I think you make enough speeches for the whole student body.”

Before he can even come up with a comeback, he remembers why he came over here to begin with. “Shit — I need to get those fliers back to student council.”

“Fine, but if you start avoiding me again after this or being all quiet and weird around me, I’m going to actually lose my mind.”

Kyle raises a smile to him. “How about I make up for the lost time tomorrow? We can go, like, pond skating or something… Like as a date?”

“That sounds really cool,” Craig smiles at him.

“Yeah,” Kyle mirrors his smile with a nod. “We will talk more about it later.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Okay,” Kyle puffs out a laugh, “Well, I should get back.”

Kyle begins to walk away — smile still elect on his face. As he walks away, Craig calls out, “Kyle — wait, weren’t you making copies of something?”

Kyle halts and turns around, embarrassment flushed across his cheeks. “Right,” he charges back towards the computer lab.

Craig chuckles. “First the Econ problems, and now this — I must really distract you.”

Kyle huffs, the redness meeting the tips of his ears. “Shut up,” he says, but he doesn’t deny it.

12

Two months later, they make their relationship official and public. There are an outcry of rumors about them, but Kyle just blocks them out. He has never been one to gossip much anyway.

As most high school gossip goes though, it eventually moves onto something else.

The only person who seems to not move on from it is Eric Cartman.

It is not even about Tweek and Craig anymore, but about the fact that Cartman claims to be the _the sole reason_ Craig and Kyle are together.

He _finally_ fesses up to starting the rumor about Kyle. He even confesses that it was all lies.

After a while, Craig gets annoyed of the harassment and punches him. The word gets out around school, and for once Kyle doesn’t really mind the gossip about him. For one, its pretty ironic, and two, it is _true_ that Craig threw a punch at Cartman for him. And maybe he _likes_ that his boyfriend threw a punch for him.

It almost seems to be a full circle.

At the time, Kyle denied throwing a punch at Cartman for Craig, but as he looks back on it now, he realizes it was probably for Craig after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a huge fan of the ending on this, but I hope you enjoyed! :)


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